› Forums › Herpes Questions › Want to close this chapter
- This topic has 5 replies, 2 voices, and was last updated 7 years, 10 months ago by Terri Warren.
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March 20, 2015 at 2:46 pm #5682th2255Participant
Am 31 year old white uncircumcised male made a huge mistake on 11-25-14. Started having unprotected sex with co worker. I stopped prob 20 to 30 seconds in realizing the mistake I was making. Over the next 12 days I suffered extreme genital anxiety. I did nothing but constantly look at my penis. Coworker said she’s clean but u never know. On day 12 the tip of my penis got very red so I went to doctor. They did all std test including hsv 2 swab. All came back negative. I have since had hsv 2 igg test done at 7, 9, 12, 14, and 16 weeks. All have been negative. I have never had any clasdic sores or blisters at all. I get random redness on my penis which worries me. I know I had this random redness prior as well just never paid it much attention til now. It doesn’t help that I constantly touch and look at my penis. Have had some “tingling” feelings at times too. It will last a few seconds and gone and maybe occur once an hr or so. I haven’t been on any anti viral meds but I have hsv 1. Is my 16 week test conclusive?? Can I put this behind me and move on. Is the feelings and redness prob due to me causing them or normal? Please help.
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March 20, 2015 at 3:03 pm #5685Terri WarrenKeymaster
Yes, you can put this behind you and move on, for sure. I always go back to the actual encounter to determine risk and your encounter was very low risk. Please think it is very easy to transmit herpes but it in reality, it isn’t all that easy. You are correct in describing this as genital anxiety. And perhaps it is time to give yourself a break and let it go. Men who are uncircumscised often have redness on the penis because the foreskin provides such a fine place to grow bacteria and fungi (yeast). I’ll bet you had that before too but just never had an reason to be worried about it.
You have done enough testing now. Let it go, please.
Terri
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March 20, 2015 at 4:11 pm #5689th2255Participant
Thank you terri. I know everyone in my situation thinks there in the very small percentage that haven’t seroconverted yet. And then I see where dr jen gunter said 6 months etc. It’s just scary and the mind plays tricks on you. Every red spot or every feeling ur mind goes straight to herpes. Guess I had convinced myself I had it and now having trouble accepting I don’t.
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March 20, 2015 at 10:29 pm #5692Terri WarrenKeymaster
well, your situation is more common than you might imagine. Just read through the posts on this forum and you will see that many others are struggling to believe they are uninfected as well as you.
I don’t know who Jen Gunter is but I can tell you that she is not a leading herpes researcher or a herpes researcher at all as far as I can tell. The advice from the University of Washington is that a person should wait 16 weeks for an accurate western blot result. It is printed on every western blot that we get back. Given a choice I’ll believe the University of Washington virology lab over someone named Jen Gunter every single time on topics related to herpes infections. And so should you.Terri
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March 21, 2015 at 12:32 am #5693th2255Participant
Not to beat a dead horse but it’s 16 weeks for other tests to correct?? And the chances of someone testing positive after 16 weeks is slim to none?? Thank you terri
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March 21, 2015 at 12:44 am #5694Terri WarrenKeymaster
In my opinion, 16 weeks is the most accurate for antibody testing in general, assuming no long term antiviral therapy has been taken. I have not seen any person in 33 years of practice become positive after 16 weeks UNLESS they have taken longer term antiviral therapy. I have read anecdotal reports of this and with HSV 1 serology, you just never know for sure what’s up because the testing isn’t as good as it is for HSV 2.
This is the last question on your subscription. If you have more, please feel free to renew but really, I think you’re good with what we have discussed thus far.
Terri
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